A Dinner in Time and Space
by Whoufflehugs
Summary: The Doctor takes Clara on an awkward first date to an alien restaurant. 100% fluff!


**A/N: wrote this prompt for a friend, hope you like it! Finals have been crazy so it was a chore to write. But thanks to all my Whoufflowers for reading!**

**Also, hopefully the next chapter of "No Escaping the Mind" will be up soon! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing :'(**

* * *

><p>It had just sort of slipped out.<p>

Of course he'd meant it, he never stopped thinking about her. But it was supposed to stay a thought, he would have never had the courage to ask her until he stumbled through the question, the words tumbling out before he could catch them.

Which is how the Doctor scored himself a date with Clara Oswald.

* * *

><p>Clara had just finished touching up her hair and makeup when the doorbell rang. She snatched her purse and ran to the door, smiling when she was met with the Doctor in his usual bow-tie-clad attire.<p>

And when the door opened, the Doctor was sure he had just laid his eyes upon the most beautiful thing in the universe. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders in prefect chocolate locks, she smiled softly with a shy blush as her eyes fell to the flattering navy dress she wore, not too fancy yet perfect on her. Of course, anything she ever wore was perfect- but tonight, she looked...

"Oi, Chin Boy. Finished staring?" A voice finally snapped the Doctor out of his reverie, clamping his jaw shut though he never remembered it falling open.

"Right, yes, sorry," the Doctor stammered, clearing his throat. "You look wonderful, perfect for the occasion. Which reminds me! You, me, special night, anywhere in the universe. I've picked a restaurant I think you'll love! It's not on earth, so it's not all human food, of course- well, I suppose you could get humany food, they'll serve you whatever they believe you'll like, but th-"

"Doctor!" Clara finally cut him off, laughing lightly. "Wherever we go, I'm sure I'll love it. Let me just grab my jacket and we'll go, yeah?"

"Yeah, yeah of course!" The Doctor said, holding the door as she slipped on a jacket and walked out to the TARDIS with him.

Once in the familiar blue box, the Doctor punched in the coordinates and sent them to a small little planet not too far from their own Galaxy. He offered out his arm and Clara linked hers with his gladly, and together they strolled leisurely into the restaurant.

From the very beginning, it was a disaster.

The greeters had confused their reservation for another couple, landing the Doctor and Clara in the waiting room for a half hour before anything cleared up for them. Those thirty minutes had mostly consisted of awkward conversations and shy compliments, and it threw them both off because they were normally so comfortable with each other.

When the waiter finally showed them to their table, they ordered a glass of wine and the Doctor put in their order.

"See, they bring you this generic looking meat-ish thing...kind of like tofu on Earth! But not tofu- it doesn't taste anything like tofu. Well, I guess it could, if you wanted it to, but that's not the point," the Doctor stammered gracelessly as he tried to explain what he had ordered. "The meal has a sense of telepathy- it's able to sense what you do and don't like, and it creates a taste that it knows you'll love!"

"The food is telepathic? Why does that sound potentially dangerous?" Clara teased, taking a sip of her wine.

"Anything I involve myself with is potentially dangerous, Clara."

"Good point," she admitted, and soon the waiter appeared with their slightly-telepathic food.

The Doctor watched amusedly as Clara took her first bite, her whole countenance lighting up as she did. "This is amazing!" She said, earning a pleased smile for the Doctor.

"You like it! I was worried you wouldn't; normally the whole telepathic bit scares people off, from what I've heard."

They finished their meal with comfortable conversation, and stayed a little later to finish their wine. The Doctor loved watching Clara talk; no matter what she ranted about, her eyes lit up and she got all excited even if it was something silly.

Until she finally asked the big question: "Doctor, why are you doing this all for me?"

The Doctor froze in his chair, suddenly finding the napkins fascinating. "Well...I told you I'd take you on a date and here we are, doing proper date things. Am I doing it wrong?"

"No!" Clara was quick to respond with a chuckle. "I just mean, why did you ask me on a date in the first place?"

She gazed at him with those wide, curious, perfect eyes and he knew that was exactly why. Her curiosity, her bravery. She was strong, she was bossy, she was the most beautiful thing in the universe. But he couldn't just say that, could he?

"Because, Clara Oswald, you're my impossible girl. Always brave, always funny, always _exactly_ what I need."

The way he said her name touched her more than any compliment ever could. She smiled softly and looked down at the tablecloth, and the two sat in silence again until the waiter brought them their check.

The Doctor thanked them and glanced at the bill, his eyes blown wide.

"Doctor, was it really that expensive? You didn't have to do that!" Clara laughed, snatching it from his hands.

"No! No it's not that, I just...might have possibly accidentally brought the wrong currency," the Doctor said sheepishly.

"I thought you had some super psychic-money thing!"

"Well, I have a universal currency bank in the TARDIS, but I may have pressed the wrong button..."

"So you're saying we've got plenty of money, but we can't even use it on this planet? What do we do?"

The Doctor looked around the restaurant, then glanced back to Clara with a boyish grin. Without warning he grabbed her hand and pulled, sending them stumbling to the front of the restaurant and out the front door.

"Run!" The Doctor exclaimed upon hearing commotion in the building behind them. They laughed and stumbled into the TARDIS, and without hesitation they flew back to Earth with foolish grins on their faces.

"I can't believe we just did that," Clara laughed as they walked to the door of the blue box. "I mean, I've done plenty of crazy things with you. But we just broke the law because you wanted to take me on a date!"

"Well in my opinion, it was absolutely worth it." The Doctor smiled over at her again, and Clara couldn't help but notice how happy he'd seemed all night. It was the kind of smile she hadn't seen from him in a long time.

"Thank you for tonight, Doctor," she finally said as they strolled to her door. Honestly, despite everything that had gone wrong, she didn't want it to end. Every time she traveled with him, it ended the same way; wishing she could just stay with him in the TARDIS and wander the universe forever.

"Any time, my impossible girl. Maybe, if you liked it- I mean, only if you want to, you don't have to," he stammered, clearing his throat. "Maybe we could do it again?"

Clara smiled, looking up at him under the dim glow of the streetlights. "I'd like that. Next Wednesday- and this time, I get to pick where we go."

"Perfect!" He visibly relaxed, a boyish grin on his face. "Um...well...goodnight?"

Clara had just opened her door and turned to say goodbye, but he'd already started off toward the TARDIS. Sighing heavily, she walked into the small house and shut the door behind her; she couldn't help but regret letting him run away so quickly.

Her mind quickly drifted back to the date and how much effort he had put into trying to make her happy, and when he succeed, how he returned with an even bigger smile. Clara was a bit disappointed that he'd left, but what was she expecting? He was an alien, he probably did things differently.

If she only knew how he felt about her, things would be so much easier. Clara felt her heart flutter every time he looked at her, and she thought it might burst whenever he held her hand, touched her face. Whether those feelings were shared or not, she could only hope so.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door behind her; Clara peeked out the window, and frowned as she found the Doctor waiting at the door. Why had he come back?

She unlocked the deadbolt and opened the door, stepping out as he made no indication of entering. "Doctor, is everything alr-"

Without hesitation, the Doctor placed his arms on her waist and practically dragged her forward, then cut her off by pressing his lips to hers. It was a chaste kiss, though it wasn't as gentle or slow as a first kiss should be. Regardless, Clara kissed him back after the initial shock, their lips brushing together sweetly as she wrapped her arms around his neck to reach him. But just as quickly as it had begun, the Doctor stepped back, his face redder than ever.

"I-I- sorry! I-"

"Doctor," Clara laughed, stopping him before he embarrassed himself. "I've been waiting for that all night, you clever boy."

"You have?" The Doctor grinned hopefully. "Do you think maybe we could do it again?"

Clara laughed, planting a kiss on his cheek before stepping back to the door. "You'll find out next Wednesday!"


End file.
